The Independence That Never Was

Today marks 27 years of self-rule for Zimbabwe, but the sentiment amongst all Zimbabweans is not celebratory but rather that of ignominy. There is nothing to celebrate, unemployment at 90%, inflation at 3000%, life expectancy at 34 for women and 36 for men, 6 million people facing famine. 3000 people die from AIDS related diseases each passing week. 22% of the population are HIV positive. Today we find our basic rights, like the right to freedom of speech, right to assembly, freedom to leave and return to Zimbabwe heavily curtailed by pieces of repressive legislation.

If our being Independent meant we were free from colonial bondage then our freedom was in vain as today more and more Zimbabweans find themselves in worse captivity than that the white supremacist government of Ian Smith ever inflicted on black Zimbabweans. If our independence meant we would get more protection from the police, then our assumptions are wrong as police are now murdering innocent people, arbitrary arresting anyone who does not conform to the ideas of Mugabe's despotic government. The severity of state organised violence against their own citizens cannot be understated, noone is safe men, women and children all face state orchestrated brutality.

4 million Zimbabweans have emigrated from Zimbabwe, some out of their own accord others forced to leave or face death at the hands of people that purportedly liberated us from the yoke of colonialism. Many of the Zimbabweans in the diaspora are living in appalling conditions, some are denied the right to support themselves financial by getting gainful employment while at the same time they cannot return to Zimbabwe where they would definitely face torture or death if not both. Some do demeaning work in countries they have emigrated to yet in Zimbabwe they were teachers, managers, barrister....

Today Zimbabwe finds itself dependent at every level, once the bread basket of Africa now a basket case. We should strive now to give ourselves true independence because frankly we have never been truly independent. What happened on April 18 1980 was a marriage of convenience between people that wanted independence and a despot that wanted power.

MDC Should Tread Carefully on Mbeki's So Called Mediation

After the stolen presidential election of 2002 The Commonwealth (a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom, except for Mozambique and the United Kingdom itself) appointed a troika consisting of Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and John Howard of Australia to resolve the Zimbabwean problem. It failed before it even started as the three presidents never visited Zimbabwe as a group but rather Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo visited Zimbabwe and met Mugabe and Tsvangirai separately each visit not lasting longer than 6 hours. While John Howard and Olusegun Obasanjo both were in favour of rebuking Mugabe and demanding free and fair elections as soon as possible, Mbeki advocated negotiations and foisted upon the troika the idea of a South African type of settlement after apartheid, a government of national unity even though the elections had been declared not free and fair by The Commonwealth observer mission. His quiet diplomacy never yielded results as Mugabe refused to negotiate with MDC because we had filed a case challenging the result of the presidential elections. He failed to do or say anything when President Tsvangirai was arrested not once but twice on trumped up charges of treason. The 2005 Presidential elections came and went past again stolen conducted under unfair and intimidating conditions, Mbeki was still talking to Mugabe. While he was giving him money an emergency loan of ZAR1 Billion which was given to the Zimbabwean government, in the same year the despotic government of Robert Mugabe destroyed homes and livelihoods of more than 2 million people under the guise of an urban clean-up dubbed operation Murambatsvina. The urban clean-up displaced millions of MDC voters that had been voted MDC throughout the rigged elections. Despite worldwide condemnation Mbeki and the South African government never said a word to criticise Mugabe's regime on Murambatsvina. Even the beating of more than 60 opposition and civic leaders including Morgan Tsvangirai on March 11 was met with silence from Thabo Mbeki. A lot of people are skeptical of Mbeki's chances on the other hand he Mbeki argues this time around his so called mediation will be a success that now he has the mandate of SADC, another ineffective body of countries with common interests such as is The Commonwealth which also mandated the same Thabo Mbeki 5 years ago.

Thabo Mbeki's mediation is a ploy that he uses to shield Mugabe from international censure. When George Bush visited South Africa in July of 2003, Mbeki lied that the mediation process was going very smoothly, he said "We are absolutely of one mind about the urgent need to address the political and economic challenges of Zimbabwe." and I am sure that the MDC leadership in Harare should tread carefully before being led on another merry-go-round that characterised Thabo Mbeki's previous efforts. He has on a number of occasions tried to force-feed Zimbabweans into getting into a marriage of convenience with Zanu-PF in the form of a government of national unity so as to preserve Mugabe's status. Just before the dissidents led by Welshman Ncube broke away from the main MDC, Welshman was secretly meeting with Zanu PF officials such as Chinamasa drafting a constitution that even The President, Morgan Tsvangirai had no knowledge of but all with the blessing of Thabo Mbeki.

Thabo Mbeki needs a legacy to be remembered by, the second democratically elected President of South Africa after Mandela. He needed big feet to fill Mandela's shoes. Where Mandela excelled as a world statesman Mbeki's foreign policy still has to do anything of note to leave a lasting impression of Mbeki's tenure other than his denial of AIDS. With such ambitions to leave an equal lasting legacy like that of Mandela he wants to solve the Zimbabwean issue rather quickly without addressing the core problems that are blighting Zimbabwe.Mbeki does not have interests of Zimbabwean people at heart, its not the 6 million that are experiencing food shortages that are compelling him, neither is it the record breaking inflation of 4000 that Mugabe refuses to officially announce, its his legacy at stake. Also pressing is the issue of World Cup that South Africa is due to host in 2010, if the situation does not change in Zimbabwe then the meltdown will certainly affect South Africa. Mbeki is keen to see political stability to ensure success of hosting the World Cup.

Before anything can be done, before the preliminaries or whatever form Mbeki's mediation is going to take it should be made clear to him that the Presidential elections and if the harmonisation goes ahead then also the Parliamentary elections cannot take place without a people driven constitution. The current field of political play favours Mugabe and there is no way the the MDC will even contest the aforesaid elections without a new constitution. Secondly all political prisoners must be freed, given access to medical attention, the beatings, abductions and arbitrary arrests of MDC members must cease immediately, the militarised youth wing of Zanu Pf must be disbanded then we can sit down and talk about a transitional authority that will take charge before elections that will also allow people like us in the diaspora to vote. If the conditions can no be met then it will be a futile exercise for MDC to partake.

MDC UK & IRELAND Independence Day Demo

DEMONSTRATIONS 18 APRIL 2007

Following our success with the sit ins at the Zimbabwe Embassy, we continue to fight for a benevolent government in Zimbabwe .
This is the time; the enemy is at his weakest, let’s pile up relentless pressure until they leave Zimbabwe .

THE SCHEDULE:

OUR MEETING POINT IS NORTH TERRACES TRAFALGAR SQUARE , LONDON AT 10 AM ON WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL 2007

Our schedule is tight, (from 10.00am to 2pm) and we sincerely request early arrival for full participation. This time our demonstration is centered at the Zimbabwe House, but with visits to the following Embassies, and to covey the following messages:

REQUEST IS MADE FOR PARTICIPANTS TO COIN MESSAGES MOST APPROPRIATE TO THE THEME OF EACH EBASSY VISIT AS BELOW:

1. ANGOLAN EMBASSY

This African state known for its dictatorial and bureaucratic rule, propensity for civil and regional wars, has now joined Robert Mugabe in a “blood alliance “by supplying 3000 criminal militias to murder the people of Zimbabwe .

2. SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY

We need to send a clear message to President Thabo Mbeki, that quiet diplomacy has not worked, and will never work in the case of Zimbabwe . His continued tolerance of a criminal state of Zimbabwe led by a gang of blood thirst criminals has been a shameful betrayal to the people of Zimbabwe . He should not continue to mislead the international community by purporting to be seen as mediating between the opposition and the Zanu (PF) led government in Zimbabwe . We need more action from South Africa .

3. EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA

They have been a shining example of democracy and tolerance in Africa of late. However, they have fallen short of unequivocal condemnation of Robert Mugabe. President Kufour’s recent remarks on Zimbabwe have been more of rhetoric than concrete rebuke of Robert Mugabe’s brutal crackdown on opposition members. We urge them to take a leading role as an African state that has gone through the same phase we are going through in Zimbabwe .

4. EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

The Chinese government has come to the rescue of Robert Mugabe (economically), despite him and his government being increasingly isolated by the entire international community. This has seen Zimbabwe become a periphery of exploitation, usurpation of our wealth and a destination of absolute Chinese technology and a market for dumping their unwanted products thereby perpetuating the long forgotten dependency syndrome. The result is we have seen increased corruption in Zimbabwe through conversion of private enterprises into state owned industries inhibiting competition and depriving entrepreneurship efficiency.
WE URGE THEM TO STOP PROPPING UP ROBERT MUGABE AND START CONDEMNING HIS DESPOTIC ADMINISTRATION.

5. BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS

We urge them to articulate the Zimbabwe programme of action against Mugabe regime so that it’s brought to debate in the British parliament in support of the suffering masses of Zimbabwe . Ultimately we urge the British government to bring the Zimbabwe issue back on the world agenda through the United Nations.
WE DEMAND ACTION.

REMAIN SEIZED!!!!!!! NGACHITSVE!!!!!!!!

RWENDO RUNO HAZVIKONE! NDONGUVA YOCHO IYOYI!!!!

LONG LIVE PRESIDENT TSVANGIRAI
LONG LIVE OUR LEADERSHIP
LONG LIVE THE GALLANT PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE
AND REMEMBER

THAT WHICH COMES IN EASILY GOES AWAY EASILY
THAT WHICH COMES IN WITH SWEAT, GOES AWAY WITH SWEAT
OUR FREEDOM WILL COME WITH A LOT OF SWEAT, SO SHALL IT LONG LIVE. SO PLEASE COME ALL TO THIS DEMONSTRATION